Report: Apple asked manufacturing partners to explore making iPhones in the U.S.

Foxconn, Apple’s key manufacturing partner, is among a number of supply chain companies that are said to be exploring the potential to relocate iPhone production facilities from Asia to the U.S., according to a report in Japanese newspaper The Nikkei.

The report comes in the wake of the U.S. election and promises that the winning candidate made in the lead-up to it. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump criticized Apple’s overseas production capabilities a number of times during his campaign, citing lost jobs for America, pledging, for example, “We’re going to get Apple to build their damn computers and things in this country instead of in other countries.”

While Trump has not communicated an official policy on bringing manufacturing jobs back to the U.S., Apple has reportedly already made early enquiries to assess what options, if any, may be possible.

The Nikkei claims that Foxconn “has been studying the possibility” of opening manufacturing facilities on U.S. soil. Pegatron, another key producer of Apple components, is said to have rejected the suggestion on account of the increased costs associated. Apple already has invested in some hardware production to the U.S. with a Mac facility in Texas.

Foxconn declined to comment on the report. Apple has not responded to a request for comment.